1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a data distribution panel for the selective interconnection of shielded cables to and from different destinations, and more particularly to electrical connectors for use with data distribution panels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,459 discloses a local area network connector specifically intended for use in the data communications industry. These connectors can be employed in a closed loop data communications link in which various equipment such as computer terminals can be interconnected in a system. These connectors are specifically adapted for use in interconnecting numerous micro or mini computers in a computer network in an office environment. Connectors of this type have standard must also be shielded to prevent spurious electrical signals and noise from affecting the signals in the network.
The structure and components of local area network connectors of this type is represented by the structure of the connector shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,459. These connectors include a plurality of spring metal terminals having insulation displacement wire barrels for establishing electrical connection with the individual conductors forming the multi conductor shielded cable. Terminals are positioned on a support housing and upper and lower shields can be positioned in surrounding relationship to the terminals and the support housing. Shield members are permanently attached to upper and lower cover members and the cover members are mated to both encapsulate the conductor and to common the upper and lower shields to the cable shielding.
Similar data connectors of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,449,778; 4,508,415; 4,582,376; 4,602,833; 4,519,494; 4,653,825; 4,641,906; 4,671,599; and 4,682,836.
These above mentioned connectors are utilized with data distribution systems where the various distribution end points are subject to change. For example, several computer terminals could be interconnected to various associated printing stations. If the data cable is continuous between a first point, which could be a terminal, and between a second end, which could be a printing station, the cable would have to be severed at some position within the cable length to interconnect one terminal to a different printing station.
For this reason, data distribution panels are incorporated within the system acting as links to the various end points. These panels are located intermediate the destinations, typically in a wiring closet, and include shielded cable coming from one destination, such as a terminal, which is terminated to an electrical connector and mounted within a panel. A second shielded cable coming from a second destination, such as from a printing station, is interconnected to a second electrical connector and the second electrical connector is mounted within the panel adjacent to the first electrical connector. A patch cable is utilized which includes a short length of shielded data cable having two electrical connectors at opposite ends which are matable with the first and second electrical connectors mounted within the panel. In all likelihood, a mass array of first electrical connectors and a mass array of second electrical connectors are disposed in a matrix and mounted to the panel. Several patch cables are available to change and interconnect, the various interconnections possible between the first and second connectors.
Typical distribution panels include connectors of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,459 where an array of cables and connectors are centralized into the distribution panel. Patch cables which interconnect the various connectors include similar shielded cable with similar connectors electrically interconnected to ends of the cable. The connectors shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,459 are hermaphroditic and therefore identical connectors can be utilized for the distribution panel and for the patch cables.
A requirement of these distribution panels is that the shielded cable of the first and second cables is commoned together and to the conductive panel to which the first and second connectors are mounted. To accomplish this, the present designs of distribution panels include conductive mounting towers or blocks, which are situated behind, and spaced from, a front face of the panel, and include conductive grounding clips mounted thereto. The insulation of the shielded cable must be stripped off of the cable for a distance equal to the spacing from the rear face of the panel to the ground clips. The exposed shield of the cable is then inserted within the grounding clips on the towers to interconnect the shielding braid to the conductive panel.
The use of this connector in combination with the requirement for this method of grounding the shielding, accounts for an expensive assembly and for a large space requirement on the distribution panel.